Oilers Power Past Mustangs To Secure 7th Consecutive Win
Ely Mason, Dane Cunningham and Jaxon Greer each collect a solo home run as the offense continues to keep the foot on the gas pedal
The Huntington Beach Oilers (8-2-1) brought the power once again to the ballpark by teeing off on the Mira Costa Mustangs (8-7), 9-4, Wednesday afternoon from HBHS Stadium. Today's win snaps the Oilers two-game losing streak against non-league opponents and furthers their season-best winning streak to seven games. In five non-league games this season, Huntington Beach is 2-2-1, with five more remaining in the 2026 regular season.
For the eighth time this year, the Oilers got on the board first as Ely Mason sent the very first pitch by Mustangs starter Grayson Thomas over the batter's eye in center field. The 400-foot blast (102 MPH exit velocity) was the first in the Varsity career of Mason and the first leadoff home run by the team. In the second inning, Dane Cunningham would pulverise a breaking ball deep over the left field fence (402 FT, 103 MPH exit velocity), retaking the team lead in home runs with two on the season. However, the power trip would not conclude before catcher Jaxon Greer notched his first career Varsity home run over the left field wall, extending the early Oilers lead to 3-0.
After two scoreless frames and four strikeouts to begin the afternoon, starting pitcher Jared Grindlinger ran into trouble in the third as Mira Costa tallied two runs, three hits and a pair of walks to slice Huntington Beach's lead to just 3-2. Grindlinger would conclude his appearance on the mound after the third, totaling three innings pitched, two earned-runs, four hits, two walks and five strikeouts (matching a personal season-high) in 70 pitches.
For the second consecutive game, the Oilers dropped the hammer in the fourth with a five-run performance. Sending 11 batters to the plate, key run-producing moments came off the bat of Grindlinger, who reached on a throwing error by third baseman Connor Collins which also scored two runs. Two batters later, Tanner Brown would elevate his hitting streak to five games as he drove in Grindlinger on an infield single, followed by another single to right off the bat of Cunningham, 7-2 Oilers. The final run in this stretch occurred on a catcher's interference call as Tommy August fouled a two-two pitch to the right side.
Even with shuffling the lineup and unloading the bench, Mira Costa would quickly bounce back with a pair of runs in the fifth off reliever Mason Tapia. After yielding the first three hits to reach, the senior right-hander retired the next three with two strikeouts and a groundout.
One extra insurance run would come into play in the sixth as Rex Fox dribbled an infield base hit up the third base line with the bases loaded, scoring pinch-runner Steel Kurtz. The bullpen of the Oilers stayed rock solid the rest of the way as Brown tossed a one-two-three sixth and Grady Ream, for the second contest in a row, closed the game with a strikeout.
With a 9-4 victory, the Oilers defeat the Mustangs for the first time since 2017 (second head-to-head matchup) and improve their home record to a perfect 6-0. Today also marks the seventh straight game the Oilers recorded nine or more hits and the first time the pitching staff as a whole collected 10 or more strikeouts.
Oilers Scoring Plays:
Bot 1: Ely Mason Solo Home Run to CF (1-0 HB)
Bot 2: Dane Cunningham Solo Home Run to LF (2-0 HB)
Bot 2: Jaxon Greer Solo Home Run to LF (3-0 HB)
Bot 4: Jared Grindlinger reaches on throwing error, Charlie Henderson & Jason Dunham Scores (5-2 HB)
Bot 4: Tanner Brown Infield Single, Jared Grindlinger Scores (6-2 HB)
Bot 4: Dane Cunningham Singles to RF, Maxx Hopkins Scores (7-2 HB)
Bot 4: Tommy August reaches on catcher's interference, Tanner Brown Scores (8-2 HB)
Bot 6: Rex Fox Infield Single, Steel Kurtz Scores (9-4 HB)
Stars of the Game:
Dane Cunningham: 3-4, Solo HR, 2 RBI
Tanner Brown: 2-4, RBI, R
Ely Mason & Jaxon Greer: Solo HR each
Duncan McLeod & Grady Ream: 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 K (Combined)
The Oilers are now set to return to Sunset League play next Tuesday (March 31) as they begin a three-game series versus the Corona Del Mar Seakings. You'll be able to listen to all the action on hbhsathletics.mixlr.com with the "Voice of the Oilers" Dominick Lorenz, beginning with the pregame show at 3:00 PM, followed by first pitch at 3:15 PM (projected times).
LISTEN TO HUNTINGTON BEACH VS. MIRA COSTA MUSTANGS HIGHLIGHTS HERE (CLICK IMAGE BELOW):
